German court overturns swastika ruling

March 16, 2007 9:00am

Germany’s highest court overturned a fine against a man who sells items featuring a crossed-off swastika.German Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries welcomed the victory for Jürgen Kamm, 32, who had been sentenced to pay a fine of about $4,000 because the display of swastikas is illegal under German law. Kamm runs an online shop,”Nix Gut” (No Good), which sells buttons, clothing and other articles with a crossed-off or broken swastika. Zypries, of the Social Democratic Party, told Bavarian radio Thursday that similar cases should now be dismissed. She said it was necessary to recognize “satirical, artistic” uses of such symbols as a means of protest, and emphasized that the law is intended as a response to anti-democratic, unconstitutional organizations.